2017 Tesla Model 3 Recalls & Complaints

Incident: September 1, 2025 · Filed: October 17, 2026

My 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long Range (RWD) makes a knocking/thumping noise from the front driver-side suspension when turning the steering wheel at very low speed (under 5 mph) while the vehicle is pitched on an incline or decline — for example, entering or exiting a parking lot via its ramp. It does not occur when turning on flat ground. I first noticed the noise in fall 2025, a few months before taking the vehicle to Tesla. Tesla Service ([XXX]) took the car in for this complaint and on XXX replaced the front lower lateral links and front lower compliance links (both sides) and performed an alignment, at a cost of $1,886.78, at 44,486 miles. The noise was unchanged immediately after the repair. On XXX I reported through the Tesla app that the car was 'still making the same exact knocking sound,' and returned to the service center; a technician test-drove the car with me, could not replicate the noise on flat roads, and said the car was fine, without putting the car on a lift or re-inspecting the suspension. The noise has continued and progressively worsened over the following year and now sometimes occurs with slight steering inputs. The car currently has 52,126 miles. I am filing because the front lower lateral links Tesla replaced are the component under investigation in PE26006 for detachment, and Tesla's defect information for recall 23V-235 identifies abnormal front suspension noise when steering as an early warning of loosening lateral link fasteners. My car is a 2017, outside the current PE26006 population (2018-2020), but it shows the same symptom pattern and had the same components replaced. No crash, fire, or injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: June 16, 2026 · Filed: July 13, 2026

Seats Front passenger safety restraint system issue/ Service is required/Service is required

Incident: May 12, 2026 · Filed: May 26, 2026

My Tesla repeatedly displayed a “Passenger Safety Restraint” warning related to the front passenger restraint/airbag system. Tesla Service Center in Los Gatos, California attempted multiple repairs over several visits. The first repair identified a pinched and improperly routed passenger seat harness associated with the restraint system. Tesla stated the issue was repaired and tested. The warning later returned. Tesla then replaced the front right seat harness assembly and lap pretensioner. The warning later returned again. Tesla subsequently proposed and/or performed additional repairs involving the passenger airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), occupancy sensor components, and additional seat harness components at significant customer expense. Despite multiple repair attempts and approximately $2,100 in repair costs, the same safety restraint warning still exists today. Because this issue involves the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and occupant classification systems, I am concerned the passenger restraint system may not function properly during a collision.

Incident: January 1, 2024 · Filed: March 24, 2026

I am writing to file a formal safety complaint against Tesla, Inc. regarding a software update failure that has disabled legally required vehicle functions on my Tesla for over two years. For more than 26 months, my vehicle has been unable to complete a software update through Tesla's over-the-air (OTA) update system. As a direct result of this failure, my vehicle's display screen does not function for the first several minutes of every drive. This prevents me from accessing my speedometer, turn signals, and other legally required safety features, rendering the vehicle non-compliant with federal and state motor vehicle safety standards during this period. I have made multiple documented attempts to resolve this issue through Tesla's customer support channels over the course of these two years. Despite these efforts, the issue remains unresolved. Tesla has now informed me that resolving the defect will require a paid service visit — despite the fact that the failure originates within Tesla's own software update infrastructure, not from any action or negligence on my part. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this matter on the following grounds: 1. The software defect disables legally required vehicle safety functions, including the speedometer, turn signals, hazard lights, and more. 2. The defect has persisted for over two years despite repeated good-faith efforts by the vehicle owner to resolve it through the manufacturer. 3. Tesla's OTA update system is manufacturer-controlled infrastructure. A failure within that system constitutes a manufacturer defect, not a maintenance issue. 4. Tesla is requiring payment from the consumer to correct a defect in their own systems. I believe this issue may not be isolated to my vehicle and could affect other Tesla owners experiencing similar OTA update failures. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether a broader safety defect exists and whether a recall or corrective action is warranted.

Incident: December 8, 2025 · Filed: December 16, 2025

I received an error about the occupant classification system and a safety restraint fault. These are due to known manufacturing defects. Addressing these concerns was expensive and also required a replacement of the front passenger airbag.

Incident: April 26, 2025 · Filed: April 27, 2025

En primer lugar decir que el VIN utilizado es completamente aleatorio. Esta notificación está dirigida para todos los fabricantes de vehículos eléctricos y fabricantes de baterías. Actualmente los diferentes medios de comunicación y redes sociales no paran de reportar incendios en las baterías de los vehículos eléctricos, con el peligro que esto representa para personas y bienes colindantes. Estos incendios están producidos en gran medida por la deformación que sufren las baterías a lo largo de su vida útil, con las cargas y descargas de las baterías, estas empiezan a hincharse, deformarse hasta que llega a un punto donde las celdas que componen la batería entran en cortocircuito produciendo los incendios ya mencionados. Existe un sistema ya patentado para controlar la deformación de las celdas que componen una batería, una vez que el sistema detecta el hinchado o deformación en las celdas que componen una batería, este puede detener la carga, carga por regeneración y impedir el siguiente arranque del vehículo poniéndolo en modo seguro. Adjunto presentación del sistema mencionado en el siguiente enlace: [XXX] Saludos. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: April 5, 2025 · Filed: April 9, 2025

Hello. I am following up with the previous safety report I submitted for my vehicle. I just received an updated repair estimate citing the parts that will need replaced (pdf attached). I also confirmed with the service advisor that the functionality of the safety restraint system may be impacted by this issue, however, Tesla still wants to charge drivers $1,300 for this repair.

Incident: April 5, 2025 · Filed: April 7, 2025

There is a warning on my car saying “front passenger safety restraint system fault”. The Tesla service center says the fix requires an air bag replacement and to replace the seat sensor. Does this not impact the safety of the passenger? This is the second model 3 I’ve owned that continuously has this fault. I feel like this model should be recalled since it is such a widespread issue. I dealt with this warning light for 2-3 years because Tesla wants to charge >$1,000 for the replacement of these parts. I’m definitely not the only one. There are plenty of complaints online and most people never get it fixed if the vehicle is out of warranty. On the other hand, some people try to fix the problem themselves which could create a worse problem for the safety restraints system.

Incident: September 15, 2024 · Filed: January 17, 2025

I purchased a new 2017 Tesla model 3 in late 2017, drove it 135k miles and suddenly had issues with the battery cooling fan staying on all the time and the interior cooling not working. The Tesla service center found the condenser completely blocked with road debris. This was possible because of a design flaw in the condenser being horizontal and receiving unfiltered air directly scooped from the vent below the grill of the car. This design flaw is present in all model 3 and model Y as I can see but, the amount of debris scooped depends on many factors such as mileage, geography, highway vs local, etc. The result was damage costing $4k to repair and no way of preventing the design flaw from causing another failure in the future.

Incident: August 13, 2024 · Filed: August 13, 2024

My car has been having this issue since it was purchased in 2018. An alert appears on the screen which says, "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault/Service is Required." I had the car serviced four times by Tesla under warranty. It has now appeared a fifth time and Tesla says the airbags need to be replaced for over $1,600. The prior repairs included replacing wiring harnesses and occupancy sensor.